Support structure for rotating machinery



July 11, 1967 J. G. WILLIAMS 3,330,514 7 SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR ROTATINGMACHINERY 2 Sheets-Sheefi Filed Aug. 5, 1965 JOHN G. WILLIAMS INVENTOR.$MJ

July 11, 1967 J. G. WILLIAMS 3,330,514

SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR ROTATING MACHINERY Filed Aug. 5, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN G: WILLIAMS INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,330,514 SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR ROTATING MACHINERYJohn G. Williams, Plainfield, N.J., assignor to Worthington Corporation,Harrison, N .J., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 3, 1965, Ser. No.476,982 2 Claims. (Cl. 248-20) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This inventionrelates generally to support bases and more specifically to a lightweight support structure for rotating machinery composed of a tubularreinforced base, which base has interconnected passages forming thereinan oil sump for the rotating machine, said base further having affixedthereto a pair of spaced vertically extending support struts rigidlyattached to opposite sides of the rotating machine with a third verticaldeflecting support strut attached to the machine at a point spaced fromthe paired support strut attaching points so that bending stressesimparted to the rotating machinery by movement of the support base willbe absorbed by deflections of the third support member.

Thisv invention relates to a new and improved support structure forrotating machinery and, more particularly but not exclusively, to arelatively light weight support structure of high strengthcharacteristics for use in the support of large, turbo generator units.

A problem in the support of large, turbo generator units resides in thenecessity for the provision of relatively massive support structurestherefor, whereby the overall weight of the turbo generator unit and itssupport structure which must in turn be supported from fixed base meansin the nature of a concrete floor is materially increased. Thus, forexample, the fabrication and installation costs of large, turbogenerator units supported in this fashion are maintained at a highlevel, and the rapid transportation of such units complete with thesupport structures therefor, as by air freight, made virtuallyimpossible. A further problem in the support and operation of such turbogenerator units resides in the necessity for the provision of separateoil sump means, or sufiicient oil capacity to contain oil in the amountrequired to insure proper lubrication of the said turbo generator unit,and the necessity of a plurality of relatively long oil supply andreturn conduits to enable the circulation of the oil betweenthe saidturbo generator unit and oil sump means. In addition, the usualuneveness, however slight, of the fixed base means which are utilized inthe support of large turbo generator units through turbo generator unitsupport structures, has been found to give rise to distortion causingstresses which may be transmitted to the said turbo generator units bythe turbo generator unit support structures, due to the nature of theconnection therebetween, with resultant adverse effect upon the coaxialalignment of the respective components of the latter. This unevenesswhich occurs either originally or through gradual settling of the saidfixed base means can be alleviated by the construction of massivesub-base means, the construction of which of course adds mate- PatentedJuly 11, 1967 rially to the costs of installation of the turbo generatorunit and thus does not represent a particularly satisfactory solution tothe problem. Too, since most large turbo generator units comprise aplurality of casing contained, coaxially aligned components, it is inany event of great importance that the structures thereof include meanswhich tend to maintain the said coaxial alignment notwithstanding theapplication of stresses thereto, without necessitating material increasein the costs of fabrication and installation of the said units or theoverall Weight thereof. It is therefore, an object of this invention toprovide a turbo generator support structure of relatively light weightand high strength characteristics whereby the overall Weight of theturbo generator unit and its support structure is materially reduced,and the rapid transportation thereof, as by air freight, made morepracticable.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a turbo generatorsupport structure as above of tubular construction comprising aninterior chamber of substantial capacity and extent formed therein whichis ideally suited for use as an oil sump to eliminate the need forseparate oil sump means and a plurality of relatively long oil supplyand return conduits and materially reduce the overall costs of the turbogenerator unit.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a support structureas above for the support of a turbo generator unit from three spacedpoints with freedom for controlled, relative movement therebetweenwhereby uneveness in the support base from which the said supportstructure is in turn supported may be accommodated by the latter withoutthe formation of distortion causing stresses in the said turbo generatorunit, and the need for massive sub-base means, and the additional coststhereof, eliminated.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a support structureas above of uncomplicated design which requires the use of only readilyavailable, relatively inexpensive components of proven dependabilitywhereby the costs of fabrication, installation and maintenance thereofare minimized and long periods of satisfactory, maintenance freeoperation thereof are assured.

In a hereindisclosed preferred embodiment, the invention comprises aplurality of support pipes welded together in generally rectangular formto result in a support frame of maximum strength per unit weight. Theturbo generator unit is supported from the said support frame at threespaced points with controlled, relative movement therebetween madepossible to enable thermal expansion of the said unit and prevent thetransmission of damaging stresses thereto from the said support frame.The sealed, interior chamber formed within the said support pipes isutilized as an oil sump of sufficient capacity and extent to contain andcool sufiicient oil for the lubrication of the turbo generator unit andeliminate the need for separate oil sump means and relatively long, oilsupply and return conduits extending therefrom to the said turbogenerator unit. Rabbet fitted attachment flanges are provided at thecasing junctures of the various turbo generator unit components whichtend to maintain the coaxial alignment thereof to make possible the useof relatively light weight, turbo generator component casings.

The above and other objects and advantages of my invention are believedmade clear by the following detailed description thereof taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a turbo generator unitconstructed in accordance with the teachings of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view of the unit of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the unit of FIGURE1, with parts in cross section and parts cut away for purposesofillustration;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the turbo generator unit support frame;and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of oil pump forthe turbo generator unit of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a turbo generator unit is indicated generallyat 10, and comprises a feed pump 12, a power generation, steam turbine14, a power transmission gear assembly 16, an electric generator 18, anda lubricating oil supply pump 20 relatively positioned as shown ingenerally conventional, coaxial turbo generator fashion. The powergeneration, steam turbine 14 comprises a steam inlet 22 and a steamexhaust 24. The feed pump 12 similarly includes a pump inlet 26 and apump outlet 28.

The turbo generator unit is supported as shown, in a manner described indetail hereinbelow, from a fixed base as indicated at 30, by arelatively light weight, turbo generator support frame generallyindicated at 32 and disposed therebetween. As best seen in FIGURES 1, 2and 4, the support frame 32 comprises two generally parallel andgenerally axially extending support pipes 34 and 36, respectively, andtwo generally parallel, generally transversely extending support pipes38 and 40, respec tively, which are joined in any convenient manner, asfor example, by welding as indicated at 42, at the respective,complementary shaped extremities thereof to form a rigid, generallyrectangular support frame in the manner made clear by FIGURE 4. Thus isprovided a sealed, fluid-tight chamber 50 within the interiors of therespective support pipes.

Reinforcing pipes 52 and 54 extend respectively between support pipes 34and 36 in the manner best seen in FIGURE 4, with the respectiveextremities of the former being welded to the latter, as indicated at44, to place the respective interiors of the said reinforcing pipes influid flow communication with the sealed chamber 50. Bearing plates 56,58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68 and 7t), respectively, are attached as shown tothe bottoms of the respective support pipes 34, 36, 38 and 40, bysupport ribs 46 and 48, and rest on the fixed base 30 to support theturbo generator unit 10 therefrom.

A pair of support struts 72 and 74, each of which is of the same tubularconstruction as the support pipes, are welded to the support pipe 34 andextend upwardly therefrom as shown to form an upstanding supportassembly in the nature of an inverted V, and a generally horizontallydisposed support platform 76 is welded thereto at the apex thereof. Asecond pair of similarly constructed support struts 78 and 80 extendupwardly in the same manner from the support pipe 36, in an axiallycorresponding location, and include a generally horizontally disposedsupport platform 82 welded to the apex thereof. It is believed ofinterest to note that hearing plates 60, 62, 64 and 66 are attached tothe bottoms of the respective support pipe 34 and 36 at locations whichgenerally coincide vertically with the locations at which the respectivesupport struts 72, 74, 78 and 88 are welded to the said support pipes.The use of support pipes and support struts of tubular, rather thansolid, construction is of great advantage in that it provides formaximum strength per unit weight and requires the use of only readilyavailable structural components, i.e. pipes.

Support flanges 84 and 86 extend respectively as shown from oppositesides of the generator 18, and sets of generally triangular reinforcingribs 88 and 90 are provided to extend as shown from the said generatorto the said support flanges to rigidize the latter.

The respective support flanges 84 and 86 rest as shown on the uppersurfaces of the respective support platforms 76 and 82 to thus providefor the support of the generator 18, which is the heaviest singlecomponent of the turbo generator unit 10, from the said supportplatforms. Thus, the positioning of the bearing plates 60, 62, 64 and 66at locations directly beneath the junctures of the support struts 72,74, 78 and 80 with the support pipes 34 and 36 provide for thesubstantially direct transfer of the weight of the generator 18 from thesaid support struts through the said support pipes to the said bearingplates, and therefrom to the fixed base 30, to prevent the developmentof undesirable bending stresses in the said support pipes. In addition,it may be further noted that the axial center line of reinforcing pipe54 is in general vertical alignment with the transverse centerlines ofthe respective support platforms 76 and 82, whereby the said reinforcingpipe insures the structural integrity of the support frame 32 in thisarea of concentrated loading.

The third support means for the turbo generator unit 10 is located atthe feed pump end of the said unit and comprises a support plate 92which is welded to the top of the middle portion of the support pipe 38.A channel member 94 is disposed in an upright position thereof atop thesupport plate 92 and is welded thereto. A support platform 96 is weldedto the top of the channel member 94, and a flexure plate 98 ispositioned in the depicted upright manner atop the support platform 96and is similarly welded thereto.

The upper end of the flexure plate 98 terminates in a cradle-likecut-out formed therein of a shape which corresponds to the generallycircular shape of the lower portion of the casing of the feed pump 12.Thus the said feed pump casing may be conveniently supported in the saidcradle-like cut-out and retained therein in any convenient manner, asfor example by welding, to complete the support of the turbo generatorunit 10 from the support frame 32.

The inherent flexibility of the flexure plate 98 will provide forlimited thermal growth of the turbo generator unit 10 while at all timesproviding a firm support for the feed pump end thereof. Too, the saidinherent flexibility enables the controlled movement of this third turbogenerator unit support point relative to the two support platformsupport points, whereby reasonable distortion of the support structuremay be readily accommodated by the said relative movement and nottransmitted to the turbo generator unit in the form of damagingstresses. Thus is made possible the use of the relatively lightweightsupport structure of the invention and the elimination of the need formassive sub-base means or the like to prevent uneveness in the fixedbase 30. The reduction in support structure weight made possible by theuse of the turbo generator support structure of the invention, ascompared to the more massive support structures of the prior art, is ofconsiderable magnitude, ranging from 50 to percent in most applications.

In units of the nature of turbo generator unit 10 it is of importancethat the alignment of the respective coaxial components thereof bemaintained within very close tolerances to insure proper operation ofthe said turbo generator unit. To this elfect, the casings of therespective components are joined, at the respective junctures thereof,by self-aligning means which comprise rabbet fitted attachment flangeswhich are further joined by spaced, attachment bolts extendingtherebetween. Thus, as best seen in FIGURE 3, an attachment flange 102is formed on the generator end of the casing of the gear assembly 16,and is rabbet fitted into a complementary shaped attachment 75 flange104 which is formed on the gear assembly end of the casing of thegenerator 18. A series of spaced, attachment bolts 106 project as shownthrough aligned bores provided therefor in the said attachment flangesto securely attach the same. Thus is believed made clear whereby the useof these pairs of rabbet fitted attachment flanges at the junctures ofthe casings of the respective feed pump, turbine, gear assembly andgenerator components of the turbo generator unit 10, will provide arigid turbo generator unit casing construction which will tend tomaintain the coaxial alignment of the said turbo generator componentsand make possible the use of relatively lightweight casings therein.

An oil cooler 112 is supported as shown on the support pipe 40 and anoil filter 114 supported as shown from the oil pump 20. An oil pumpinlet conduit 116 extends as shown from the oil pump 20 through the oilfilter 114 and oil cooler 112 into the sealed chamber 50 formed in partby the support pipe 40, and terminates adjacent the bottom of the saidsupport pipe.

An oil outlet conduit 118 extends downwardly as shown from the lowerportion of the casing of the gear assembly 16 and terminates inattachment flange 120. An oil transfer conduit which includes anattachment flange 122 formed thereon and a rubber hose portion 124extending downwardly therefrom is attached as shown in any convenientmanner to the oil outlet conduit 118 through the use of attachmentflanges 120 and 122, and extends downwardly as shown into fluid flowcommunication with the portion of the sealed chamber 50 formed by theinterior of reinforcing pipe 52. Thus may be understood whereby both theoil inlet conduit 116 and the oil outlet conduit 118 are in fluid flowcommunication with the sealed chamber 50 to thus make possible theconvenient use of the said chamber as an oil sump and eliminate the needfor separate oil sump means. Thus, oil may be conveniently withdrawnfrom the said chamber through oil inlet pipe 116 by oil pump 20,utilized in conventional manner in the lubrication of the generator 18,gear assembly 16, turbine 14, and feed pump 12, and returned tothe saidchamber through oil outlet conduit 118.

Thus is believed made clear whereby the necessity for relatively longoil conduits extending from the turbo generator unit to remotely locatedoil sump means, is eliminated by the provision of the generallycoextensive, oil sump forming chamber 50 within the support frame 32 tomake possible the convenient connection of oil conduits 116 and 118 tothe said chamber in the depicted manner. Although, for convenience ofillustration, only two oil conduits, i.e., oil pump inlet conduit 116and oil outlet conduit 118, have been depicted, it is to be understoodthat additional oil conduits would, in practice, probably provenecessary to the proper lubrication of the turbo generator unit 10during operation thereof, which additional oil conduits would, ofcourse, be connected directly to the sealed chamber 50 in the sameconvenient manner illustrated for oil conduits 116 and 118. A slightslant toward the right (refer to FIGURE 1) may, if desired, be providedin any convenient manner in chamber 50 to promote the flow of the oilcontained therewithin toward oil inlet conduit 116 for the recirculationthereof through the turbo generator unit 10. In addition,non-illustrated, readily removable hatch means may, if desired, beincorporated in the support pipes adjacent the respective, joinedextremities thereof to enable the periodic cleaning of the chamber 50 inany convenient manner, as for example by the running of swab meanstherethrough.

Alternatively, the generator mounted oil pump 20 may be replaced by acentrifugal pump 126 which is positioned within support pipe 40 in themanner made clear in FIG- URE 5. In such case, vertical drive shaftmeans 128 would be provided to extend from the adjacent extremity of thecasing of generator 18 to the said centrifugal pump for the drivethereof, and an oil inlet conduit 130, including rubber hose portion 132connected therein, provided to extend as shown from the outlet of thesaid centrifugal 6 pump, through the wall of support pipe 40, to' thesaid generator end for the supply of oil thereto from the chamber 50.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to thespecific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that they may bewidely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the combination of a light weight support structure for thesupport of rotating machinery the improvement comprising:

(a) fixed base means; a

(b) support frame means supportably disposed on the fixed base meanscomprising,

(1) a plurality of tubular support members joined together,

(2) tubularreinforcing members connected with the tubular support means,

(3) said tubular support members and said tubular reinforcing membersbeing in fluid flow communication forming a chamber means therein,whereby the hollow tubular support frame means is utilized as themachinery support structure as Well as the oil supply sump for therotating machinery thereby reducing the overall weight of the machineryand support combination,

(c) means for supporting the rotating machinery from the support framemeans at a plurality of spaced points with freedom for controlledrelative movement between the rotating machinery and the support framemeans so as to permit said means to deflect when the support frame meansis distorted thereby minimizing the transmission of stress to therotating machinery;

((1) oil conduit means in fluid flow communication with the rotatingmachinery and the chamber means within the support frame;

(e) oil pump means for the rotating machinery disposed within thechamber means and connected to the rotating machinery by the oil conduitmeans.

2. The combination of a light weight support struccture for the supportof a turbo-generator unit the improvement comprising:

(a) fixed base means;

(b) a support frame supportably disposed on the fixed base meanscomprising;

( 1) a plurality of tubular support members joined together in agenerally horizontal plane,

(2) tubular reinforcing members interconnected with the tubular supportmembers within a generally horizontal plane,

( 3) said tubular support members and said tubular reinforcing membersbeing in fluid flow communication forming chamber means therein, wherebythe hollow tubular support frame is utilized as the turbo-generatorsupport structure as well as the oil supply sump for this turbogeneratorthereby reducing the overall weight of the combination turbo-generatorand support,

(c) tubular support struts extending generally vertically from thesupport frame and connected to spaced tubular support members axiallyparallel with the turbo-generator axis;

(d) first and second support platforms disposed on the spaced tubularsupport struts;

(e) first and second support flanges connected at one end to respectivefirst and second support platforms;

(f) spaced means for supporting the turbo-generator connected at one endto the first and second support flanges and at the other end to oppositesides of the turbo-generator;

(g) flexible plate support means disposed on another of said tubularsupport members and extending therefrom into cooperative associationwith the turbogenerator so that thermal growth within the turbogeneratoras well as any stresses imparted to the turbo-generator by movement ofthe support frame means will be absorbed within the flexible platesupport means by suitable flexing and distortion therein therebypreventing damage to the turbo-generator;

(h) oil conduit means operatively connected to the turbo-generator onone end and connected to the chamber means at the other end so as topermit cir culation of oil therebetween; and

(i) oil pump means for the turbo-generator unit operatively disposedwithin the chamber means and connected to the oil conduit means so as toinsure a supply of lubricating fluid to the turbo-generator.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,061,672 5/1913 Hodgkinson308-76 1,491,423 4/1924 Rice 24819 X 1,716,132 6/ 1929 Hodgkinson.

1,833,050 1'1/1931 Hubbs 24819 JOHN PETO, Primary Examiner.

1. IN THE COMBINATION OF A LIGHT WEIGHT SUPPORT STRUCTURE FOR THESUPPORT OF ROTATING MACHINERY THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (A) FIXED BASEMEANS; (B) SUPPORT FRAME MEANS SUPPORTABLY DISPOSED ON THE FIXED BASEMEANS COMPRISING, (1) A PLURALITY OF TUBULAR SUPPORT MEMBERS JOINTEDTOGETHER, (2) TUBULAR REINFORCING MEMBERS CONNECTED WITH THE TUBULARSUPPORT MEANS, (3) SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT MEMBERS AND SAID TUBULARREINFORCING MEMBERS BEING IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION FORMING A CHAMBERMEANS THEREIN, WHEREBY THE HOLLOW TUBULAR SUPPORT FRAME MEANS ISUTILIZED AS THE MACHINERY SUPPORT STRUCTURE AS WELL AS THE OIL SUPPLYSUMP FOR THE ROTATING MACHINERY THEREBY REDUCING THE OVERALL WEIGHT OFTHE MACHINERY AND SUPPORT COMBINATION, (C) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THEROTATING MACHINERY FROM THE SUPPORT FRAME MEANS AT A PLURALITY OF SPACEDPOINTS WITH FREEDOM FOR CONTROLLED RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THEROTATING MACHINERY AND THE SUPPORT FRAME MEANS SO AS TO PERMIT SAIDMEANS TO DEFLECT WHEN THE SUPPORT FRAME MEANS IT DISTORTED THEREBYMINIMIZING THE TRANSMISSION OF STRESS TO THE ROTATING MACHINERY; (D) OILCONDUIT MEANS IN FLUID FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH THE ROTATING MACHINERYAND THE CHAMBER MEANS WITHIN THE SUPPORT FRAME; (E) OIL PUMP MEANS FORTHE ROTATING MACHINERY DISPOSED WITHIN THE CHAMBER MEANS AND CONNECTEDTO THE ROTATING MACHINERY BY THE OIL CONDUIT MEANS.